Digestive Almond Crust
- Spread the ground almonds out on a baking tray and toast or roast them for 5-10 minutes until they are lightly golden, shaking the tray after 3-4 minutes.
- Rub some butter around the inside of an 8”/20cm round dish or loose-bottomed tin.
- Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs, add the toasted almonds and stir to combine.
- Gently melt the butter.
- Add this to the biscuit crumb and almond mixture and stir to combine.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top.
- Chill the biscuit base.
Christmas Pudding Cheesecake
- Measure the cream and cream cheese and beat them together.
- Put the Christmas pudding, brown sugar, rum or fruit juice into food processor.
- Finely grate the orange rind into the processor bowl.
- Pulse into a puree.
- Tip the puree into the cream and cheese bowl and gently mix the two together.
- Tip the mixture onto the prepared biscuit base and smooth the top.
- Chill for at least an hour.
Orange Topping
- Put the tapioca and sugar into a bowl, add a quarter of the orange juice and stir to make a smooth paste.
- Heat the remainder of the juice in a saucepan.
- Just before it comes to the boil, pour the juice into the bowl and stir to combine.
- Immediately pour everything back into the saucepan.
- Bring to the boil while stirring until the sauce becomes translucent.
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
- Pour the topping over the cold cheesecake, spreading it out to the edges.
- Immediately chill the cheesecake.
- Before serving decorate the top with sprigs of fresh rosemary.
8”/20cm round dish or loose-bottomed tin, baking tray, 2 x mixing bowls, food processor and saucepan